Edinburgh Napier University

  Waterborne pathogens affect all waters globally and proceed to be an ongoing concern. Previous methods for detection of pathogens consist of a high test time and a high sample consumption, but they are very expensive and require specialist operators. This study aims to develop a monitoring system capable of identifying waterborne pathogens with particular characteristics using a microfluidic device, optical imaging and a classification algorithm to provide low-cost and portable solutions. This paper investigates the detection of small size microbeads (1–5 µm) from a measured water sample by using a cost-effective microscopic camera and computational algorithms. Results provide areas of opportunities to decrease sample consumption, reduce testing time and minimize the use of expensive equipment.